Locking handle



Feb. 16, 1932. c. A. TOURNIER ET AL 1,845,732

LOCKING HANDLE Original Filed March 23. 1928 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. TOURNIER, OF NEW HAVEN, AND JOSEPH GOODMAN, OF MOUNT GAB-MEL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOBS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LEON OTTINGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCKING HANDLE Application filed larch 23, 1928, Serial Io. 564,048. Renewed September 94,1931.

This invention relates to door handles and latch operating means, particularl as applied to automobile doors, but it is by no means limited to use in automobiles; and has for an object to provide an improved and simple construction of door handle and -latch operating means which may be manufactured at low cost and which when applied to the door cannot be removed from the outside of 1 ,the door, and therefore, it would not be possible for unauthorized persons to disconnect the escutcheon from the door to permit removal of-the handle and spindle to gain access to the latch operating means for opening the door.

t is also an object of the invention to provide a structure which may be quickly and easily applied to the door with a. minimum of operations required on the door.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, we have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. In the drawn s,

ig. 1 is a section through .a portion of an automobile door showing our im roved handle applied thereto, a portion 0 the handle being shown in section and other portlons in side elevation. 39 Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the spindle :slpcuring means looking from the right of Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the escutcheon and associated portions of the handle shank on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 but on a larger scale, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

In common constructions of locking handles for automobile doors the handle is mounted to turn in the escutcheon which is secured to the outer surface of the door, the inner end of the spindle operated by the handle being merely inserted in a non-circular openlng 1n the roll back for operating the latch, and 50 means is provided on the shank or spindle cooperatin with the escutcheon to prevent removal 0 the handle from the door. The objection to this construction is that unauthorized persons may detach the escutcheon from the door by removing the securing I; screws and can then withdraw the handle from the. door and permitting operation of the latch.

To overcome these objections We have devised an improved construction of handle and means for mounting it in the door which does not rely on the securin means for the escutcheon to secure the han 1e to the door. In the drawings the door is indicated at 10 having a transverse opening 11 for assage of the latch operating spindle 12 w ich is usually substantially square in cross section. On the inner side of the door is mounted the latch mechanism only a few of the parts of which we have illustrated. This latch usually comprises a casing 13 secured to the inner side of the door or a recess formed in the door carrying a latch 14 operated by a roll back 15, which roll back has a non-circular opening to receive the spindle 12 so that turning Z movements of the spindle will be imparted to the roll back to operate the latch. In the present construction the spindle is not secured to the roll back to prevent longitudinal movement in both directions but is secured so as to prevent outward movement only, the spindle bein free to move inwardly 1n the roll back. 0 prevent this outward movement any suitable securing means may be provided on the inner end of the spin 1e, such as a washer 16, of a larger diameter than the s indle so as to overlap the inner surface of tl ie roll back, and secured to the end of the spindle b a screw 17 threaded into the spindle. If esired a locking washer 18 ma be employed to prevent the screw from wor 'ng oose.

The handle includes a tubular'shank 19 secured at its outer end to any suitable type of grip, such as. a cross bar 20. This shank has a shoulder 21, and between this shoulder and the door is mounted an escutcheon comprising two telescopin sections 22 and 23. r The outer section in t e form shown is merely a cupped member having its flange 24 1 embracing a similar flange 25 of the other section 23, but having a sliding fit therewith so that the two sectlons may slide longitudinally of each other. The body portion of the inner section 23 extends into an enlargement 26 at the outer end of the transverse opening 11 in the door. At one side this section 23 has an ofl'set rib 27 extending longitudinally thereof and seating in a recess 28 at one side of the enlargement 26 and thus will prevent turning movements of the section in the door. Embraced by the flanges 24 and 25, and therefore, located between the two sections of the escutcheon, is a coil spring 29 which tends to separate the two sections and therefore, holds the outer section 22 against the shoulder 21 on the shank and holds the inner section 23 against the door. A washer 30 is preferably placed between the spring and the inner section to prevent the end of the spring catching in the slot formed by the rib 27. It will,

therefore, be seen that the handle is held in position in the door by means of the washer 16 cooperating with the roll back, and the shoulder 21 on the shank cooperating with the escutcheon structure.

Mounted for turning movements in the section is a cylinder 31 of a lock mechanism. This cylinder carries key controlled tumblers 32 adapted to project into slots 33 in the shank to prevent turning movements of the cylinder when the key 34 is removed. This cylinder has an extension .35 carrying an eccentrically arranged pin 36 seated in a transverse recess 37 in the locking bolt 38. This bolt is guided for transverse slidin movements in the opening 39 in the shank and is of such a length that it may be retracted into the shank, but may also have one end extended by operation of the cylinder 31'to project into the roove formed by the rib 27, as indicated on t e drawing, to lock the shank and handle against turning movements and thus lock the door. The extension 35 may have a groove 40 to receive a transverse pm 41 to retain the cylinder in the shank. The shank is enclosed by a tubular finishing sleeve 42 extending between the grip or cross bar 20 and the outer section of the escutcheon.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that thewasher 16 and screw 17 secure the handle in the door against outward movement, but the yieldable spring 29 operating through the sections of the escutcheon and the shoulder 21 retains the handle agalnst inward movement and holds the washer against the roll back.- The relative movements possible between the two sections of the escutcheon will easily compensate for variations in the thicknesses of the different doors, and the spring will also put suflicient tension on the elements to prevent rattling of the handle in the door. N 0 separate means is required to secure the escutcheon to the door, so that the operation of installing the handle is a very simple one, and the construction of the escutcheon permits the elements to adjust themselves for variations in the door or in the arrangement of the latch and other elements. It will also be apparent that it is impossible to remove the handle without first opening the door or gaining access to the inner side thereof so that unauthorized manipulation of the handle for opening the door is made very difiicult.

Having thus set forth the nature of our ing to separate them and hold the sections re-' spectively against the shoulder and the door.

2. In combination, a door, a latch secured to the door, a roll back for operating the latch, a handle outside the door having a shank and a spindle secured to the roll back, a shoulder on the shank, an escutcheon between the shoulder and the door comprising two telescoping sections, a spring between the sections tending to hold them against the shoulder and door respectively, means for holding the inner section against turning in the door, and a key controlled bolt carried by the shank adapted to cooperate with said section to lock the handle against turning.

3. In combination, a door, a latch secured to the door, a roll back for operating the latch, a handle outside the door having a shank and a spindle secured to the roll back, a shoulder on the shank, an escutcheon on the shank between the shoulder and the door compnsing two sections, the outer sectlon being a cupped member engaging the shoulder and the inner member having an enlargement providing a flange having telescoping engagement with the side walls of the first member and also having an extension projecting into the door provided with a lateral rib forming a groove, a spring in the enlargement tendmg to separate the sections, and a key operate bolt carried by the shank adapted to cooperate with said groove to lock the shank agalnst turning.

4. In a door handle, a shank and a latch operating spindle connected thereto, said shank having a shoulder, an escutcheon embracing the shank and comprising two sections one of which has an extension to extend into a door and an enlargement having tele, scoping engagement with the other section, said extension having a recess, and a keycontrolled locking bolt carried by the shank adapted to cooperate with said recess to lock the handle. v

5. In a door handle, a shank and a latch operating spindle connected thereto, said shank having a shoulder, an escutcheon embracing the shank and comprising two sections one of which is a cup ed member engaging said shoulder, the ot er section having a substantially cylindrical ortion to extend into the door provided wit a lateral rib forming a roove, said latter section also having an en argelnent providing a flan e in telescoping relation with the side wa is of the first section, a spring in said enlargement tending to separate the sections, and a locking bolt carried by the shank adapted to be extended into said groove to lock the handle.

6. In combination, a door, a latch secured to the door, a roll back for operating the latch, a handle outside the door having a shank and a spindle secured to the rollback, a shoulder on the shank, an escutcheon'on the shank between the shoulder and the door including a cupped member extending from the shouider, a spring in the cupped member tending to separate the shoulder from the door, said door having a groove extending therein alongside the shank, and a key operated bolt carried by the shank and adapted to cooperate with said groove to lock the shank against turning.

In testimony whereof we afiJ'x our signatures.

CHARLES A. TOURNIER. JOSEPH GOODMAN. 

